It's an issue that gets a lot of us angry. For one week a month many women put up with painful cramps and low moods and to add insult to injury, we pay a 'luxury tax' on the sanitary products we have no choice but to use during this time.

Currently all purchases of sanitary protection, such as pads and tampons, carry a five per cent VAT charge which makes the government around £15 million each year. It's because tampons, unlike razors or condoms, are not deemed 'essential' products and are taxed like luxury items.

The tampon tax has been in the spotlight recently, when Chancellor George Osborne vowed to give the VAT the Treasury receives to women's charities. This prompted mixed responses.

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But UK health and beauty retailer Superdrug says it believes sanitary protection is an essential item and will give customers back some of the money they have paid in VAT on all purchases of Superdrug's Own Brand tampons and sanitary towels. Customers will be rewarded with loyalty points added to their Health and Beauty Card account.

Each point represents a penny to spend in store, and represents one pence from the purchase price to offset what is given to the Treasury in VAT.

Gemma Mason, Superdrug Head of Customer Service Experience & Service says:

"The issue of which items are rated for VAT has always been a contentious issue and we believe that if there is one product area which needs urgently addressing it's sanitary protection. As a retailer which has millions of women visiting its stores every week buying tampons and towels we wanted to do something now to give something back. We are hopeful that the rules will change in the future, until then we are delighted to give a little back to our customers."

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